Emmy's American Adventure
by Charlie Big Nose
Summary: After betraying Professor Layton and Luke, Emmy sets off in search of a new life, trying to forget all the bad things she did, spying on the professor and Luke, and all the bad memories she has, and move on with her life. But a certain someone just won't let her go... Contains spoilers for PL 4, 5 and 6 and for Professor Layton and the Mishaps of Mystery (my other story).
1. Arrival

Chapter 1 - Arrival

In her first class seat with a glass of the finest wine whilst looking over the great blue yonder of the Atlantic Ocean, Emmy heaved a great sighed of disappointment. It wasn't that her surroundings were in any way disappointing – on the contrary, if it were any other time in her life, she would have made herself quite at home in such a luxurious setting – but she was deeply disappointed in herself. She had made the worst of choices in life, and now she could never turn back.

She had it all – a steady job, friends who liked her and an uncle who adored her. And she blew it.

_"__If only I had just said no to Uncle Leon,"_ Emmy thought miserably as she stared out of the window. _"He loves me. He would have understood... and now he's stuck in prison and I can never go back to the professor now. Not after all this has happened... and it's all my fault..."_ Her eyes began to fill up with tears. "_I've ruined everything..."_

She remembered the look of absolute horror on the professor's face when she had grabbed Luke and held that icicle to his neck. She remembered the panic in Luke's voice... _"Stop it, Emmy, that's not funny!"_ She remembered the professor's tone... _"Why? Why are you doing this? You know what's at stake!"_

Emmy leaned her head against the window and shut her eyes tightly, trying her best not to cry. Why? Why did everything in her life go wrong? Everything from her relationship with the professor and Luke, to her relationship with her uncle, right down to her relationship with her father...

"Can I top you up, madam?" a flight attendant asked.

Emmy shook her head silently, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

Emmy nodded. "Just tired."

The flight attendant smiled at her. "Try not to sleep too deeply. We land in about ten minutes."

Emmy opened her eyes as the flight attendant walked away. She looked out the window to see that the great blue yonder was now gone and that they had just passed the beaches of California. She sighed. _"Almost time to face reality once again..."_ she thought miserably. She was on her way to visit her cousins, Carla, Xavier and Aldaz. She was still considering moving over there permanently. After all, they were the only real family she had left...

She wondered how Carla would react to everything. To Emmy joining Targent, the one organisation that had ruined her life and Carla's life too. To threatening a twelve year old boy for the gain of said organisation. To Emmy running away because she was too much of a coward to face up to what she had done... Emmy sighed as she left her seat and the plane.

* * *

In the back seat of her yellow taxi, Emmy sat, tense, as the vehicle drove on into Carla's part of town. She could feel it rising up inside her again; cowardice. She considered running away from this confrontation and into some other town, where no one knew her and she could start again. Again. But she ignored this screaming part of her as the taxi pulled up outside Carla's estate. She paid no attention to the little voice in her head telling her to leave as she paid the driver and grabbed her trunk full of clothes. Her legs paid no attention to this part of her mind as she walked down the path, towards number eight, to Carla's current address. Her arm paid no attention either as she raised it to knock on the door.

No answer. A part of Emmy felt relieved. No one home. Oh well. Better go elsewhere. Emmy turned around to see a black Toyota four-by-four pull up in front of the house. _"Well, well,"_ she thought. _"Looks like we're staying..."_

"Emmy!" Carla cried joyously, running to the door and throwing her arms around Emmy's neck. "Oh my God, Emmy! How are you?! Come in!"

Emmy forced a smile onto her face as Carla dragged her inside and Antonio, Carla's husband, grabbed Emmy's trunk. Carla steered Emmy into the living room and onto the couch.

"Let me get you some coffee," Carla insisted, rushing into the kitchen.

Emmy smiled as she leaned back in her seat. Antonio smiled at her as he sat beside her.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Er... okay. You?"

"I'm good. Say, that's a pretty big case you've got. A little big for a holiday, I think."

Emmy nodded. "I'm thinking of staying over here for a little while."

"What happened?" Antonio asked.

"Nothing. I'm just bored of London, that's all. I need a new adventure, to keep me busy, you know?"

Antonio frowned as Carla entered with three cups of espresso. She placed one n the coffee table in front of Emmy and smiled at her. "I'm so gad you've finally made time in your busy schedule to visit. Is Leon here?"

"Er..." Emmy sighed.

Carla and Antonio looked at each other and back at Emmy. "... What happened, Emmy?"

"I..." Emmy sighed again. "It's a really long story."

"Well, we have all the time you need, Emz." Carla sat close to Emmy and took her hand. "We're here for you."

Emmy sighed yet again and looked into Carla's eyes. "You're really not going to like this," she said, her eyes filling up with tears.

Carla put an arm around Emmy's shoulders. "Well, it's not about me, it's about you. Whatever's happened, whatever you've done, you can tell me."

"I'll leave you girls to it," Antonio said quickly, getting up and leaving. Carla frowned at him and looked back at Emmy.

Emmy gulped. "I... it's about Targent."

Carla's face fell. "What?"

Emmy nodded. "I joined them."

"Why?"

"I... Uncle Leon..."

"Did he push you into it, Emz?" Carla looked angry.

"No. I wanted to. I needed to. I wanted him to be proud of me..." Emmy explained that her uncle needed someone to spy on Professor Layton, posing as an assistant, and how she jumped at the chance to make him proud. "... and so when we were in the Azran sanctuary, I had to betray the professor and Luke so that Leon would be able to get to the Azran power, but—"

"It was too good to be true. We saw it all on the news, all the archaeological discoveries and Leon's arrest. But I thought he was leaving you out of Targent. He... he promised..."

"I know," Emmy said quietly. "He promised that Targent couldn't hurt me anymore. But... he was wrong... and now I've lost my only friends..." Emmy sniffed, tears pouring down her cheeks again. "You're all I've got left."

Carla hugged Emmy. "That's right. I'll always be here for you. You can stay here for as long as you want to. Everything will be okay, you'll see." Carla smiled as they broke apart. Emmy smiled back and wiped her tears away on the back of her hand.

"I want to start again. Stay here for a while, with you and the boys... and try to forget Targent."

"Yeah. Targent can't hurt you anymore, because it's finished, right? All those loose ends were tied up after Leon got arrested. And you know we'd love to have you here, Emz." Carla smiled.

Emmy nodded.

"This could be a new start for you. Sun, sea, and there's a photography pitch going in the San Francisco Daily." Carla grinned. "And there are plenty of hot guys going too."

Emmy smiled back. "Good. I really want things to work out here. And I could do with a new boyfriend..."


	2. The Interview

Chapter 2 – The Interview

And so it was settled. Emmy was to spend the night at her cousin's apartment and was to get in touch with the San Francisco Daily about their job offer the next day. As she laid on the sofa where she was to sleep, she thought about the life she was about to have. She had already applied for her dream job, doing what she loved day in, day out, and she was living in an area which was close to her remaining family.

And yet, Emmy remained unhappy.

Her head was full of thoughts about her previous job, and wondered if she would be as happy in this job as she was in her last one, at least while it lasted. At least, before she had betrayed the one person who trusted her above all and resigned. She sighed. She sincerely doubted that she would meet two people as kind and wonderful as the professor and Luke.

She lay there, thinking like this for some time.

So the next day, before heading off for interview, she was exhausted.

Carla looked on worriedly as Emmy sat at the kitchen table, struggling to keep her eyes open. Antonio tapped her shoulder gently and she jumped. Antonio frowned.

"I think you ought to give that interview a miss, Emz. You look exhausted."

Emmy shook her head miserably. "If I miss this one, someone else will jump in and take the job. I need to go."

Carla wrapped her arm around her. "You know, you did fly all the way from London yesterday. They'll understand if you want to wait until tomorrow. Trust me."

Emmy shook her head. "I think I ought to get it out of the way. I'll only be thinking about it even more if I drag it out."

"You're not nervous, are you?"Carla asked, stroking Emmy's hair.

"A bit," Emmy admitted.

"They'd be fools not to take you on. You're a pro with a camera; you'd be an asset to any newspaper."

Emmy smiled as Antonio placed a mug of black coffee in front of her.

"Drink," he said, "and then have some breakfast. I have a special cure that'll wake you up in a jiffy."

"Really?" Emmy asked as Carla shook her head. "What?"

"You'll see," Antonio smiled, walking to the hob.

Carla continued to shake her head and drew one finger across her throat.

Emmy frowned at her as Antonio continued. "Anyway, you have a massive portfolio with tonnes of your work in it, right? That'll be enough to impress them. And you were very successful in your Level 5 photography course in London. That'll be more than enough to entice them, don't you think?"

"I guess so," Emmy smiled.

Carla grinned as she picked up Emmy's folder with sample photographs. The folder was bursting at the seams with pictures that Emmy had taken in a wide variety of places, most of which had been with the professor and Luke. Some of the rolling hills surrounded by mist in Misthallery, some of the sights in London, some of Celebration Boulevard in Monte'dor, and some of them shots taken from up above in the Bostonius. Carla laid them out on the table and smiled.

"They're beautiful, Emmy, they can't say no to that. You have a great eye."

Emmy smiled at her. "I just hope that they see it that way." He picked up her mug and took a sip.

Antonio turned back to Emmy and placed a sandwich on a plate in front of her. "Eat," he smiled.

Carla winced. "I saw this coming," she whispered.

Emmy lifted up one of the slices of bread. "A fried egg sandwich?"

"Yep. Dig in."

Emmy glanced over at Carla and, noticing her expression, gave Antonio a very suspicious look. "And what's al the red sauce? I'm guessing by the look on Carla's face that it's not just ketchup."

"You'll be able to tell when you eat it," Antonio grinned.

"Er... okay," Emmy looked suspicious as she took a bite.

"Hey, guys."

Carla and Antonio looked up as the two young boys, Xavier and Aldaz entered the room, looking drowsy.

"Hey, you two. Ready for the big tests today?" Carla smiled.

"No."

"Eh, guys?" Aldaz said, looking worried.

"Huh?" Carla turned to him.

"I think we should get Emmy some water."

Carla turned to see Emmy sprawled out on the table, her face completely red. She choked out to them. "WH-What the f-fuck was in that th-thing?!"

"Oh, the De La Vega special, huh?" Xavier laughed. "A triple fried egg sandwich, with chilli and chutney."

"Ew..." Aldaz looked over at Emmy, who was still gasping.

"W-Water..."

"I tried to warn you," Carla smiled, placing a glass of water in front of her.

Emmy didn't reply; she downed the entire glass in two gulps.

Antonio grinned at her. "That woke you up, didn't it?"

"Where did you get that recipe?" Emmy cried. "Whatever cookery book you have, I want to burn it! Burn them all!"

Aldaz and Xavier laughed.

"I got it out of a book on bacteria," Antonio smiled. "Apparently, the egg attracts bacteria, but the chemical combination of the chilli and the chutney is enough to poison them. But it also makes as the perfect hangover cure. Quick, eat the rest. The trick is to eat it before the bread dissolves."

Emmy pulled a rotten face and pushed the plate away from her. "Its okay, Antonio, I'm awake now, and officially gone off sandwiches for life."

Carla smiled as Antonio reached over and grabbed the plate.

"More for me, then," he grinned, taking a large bite out of it.

"Uurgh! Tony!"

* * *

An hour later, Emmy was wide awake, had eaten an edible breakfast without a trace of chilli, chutney or egg in it and was waiting in the reception area with about twenty other photographers for interview. Se looked around, feeling nervous, which was strange for her, as she normally had a never-fear, whatever-will-be-will-be view on life, and she wondered whether she would actually get this job. She needed the money, as she didn't have her assistant/spy double act job anymore. The money she earned from that had been particularly good, especially since she was the niece/adopted daughter of the leader of Targent and had been placed high up in the ranks and received one of the highest pay-grades, but all that was over now, and despite her having a large bulk in her savings account, that wouldn't last her forever and she needed a reliable income to ensure that she stayed on her feet here in America. She wanted to at least be able to pay her way while she stayed at Carla and Antonio's – it wouldn't be fair if she sponged off them. And besides, Emmy wasn't like that. She liked to provide for herself and, seeing as she worked for her uncle before, this was her first shot at a truly independent living. And she didn't want to blow it.

Emmy sighed as the next person was called in. "_It shouldn't be too long, now,"_ she told herself. _"I used the name Altava to make myself higher up in the list, and there can't be too many people with the letter a as the first in their surname..."_ she sat back and waited.

And waited.

She sighed as fifteen minutes dragged by on her watch. So, instead, she took to watching her surroundings. She suddenly felt very out of place, as she realised that her lemon-yellow trench coat clashed horribly with the traditional black suit trend that everyone else had. She studied the cameras of the other's and realised that their cameras were bigger than hers. She felt small compared to the rest of them. She had lost her self confidence. This was a new sensation for Emmy, and she didn't like it one bit.

Ten minutes later, the applicant left, looking pleased with herself. Emmy gulped. The receptionist looked around the room. "Is there a Derek Alcove here?"

The man sitting next to Emmy smiled and got up. Emmy sighed again. She suddenly wondered what would be asked in the interview. If they would ask about school. She shuddered. She hated school, and her grades just about reflected that. The only thing Emmy had ever excelled at in school was art. She loved art – the drawing and sculpting, the lack of sitting around and writing all day, the fact that she didn't have to memorise anything, and that all she had to do was go with the flow and do was ever she interpreted was right. She loved the fact that there was no right or wrong in art. It was like everyone else said – art is anything you can get away with.

And yet, there was a certain need for perfection in photography that had intrigued Emmy the first time she picked up a camera. The fact that you needed a steady hand, a good eye and the ability to see the goodness of what you were photographing. This hobby was tailor-made for Emmy. Every single fond memory that Emmy had ever had was caught on camera, and she had a photograph to reference almost everything about her life. She could spend hours drawing a picture to represent her feelings about a particular moment, but Emmy found that snapping a photo worked just as well. She loved photography with a passion. She smiled. She knew the answer to one of the questions right there – why did you want to be a photographer. After a mere few moments of thought, she had come up with it right away. And, just by looking at the stony expressions of those around her, in their black suits and crisp white shirts, she knew that they lacked the passion and creativity that Emmy had all her life. This burst of confidence woke up the real Emmy – the happy confident Emmy, with fiery determination and creative juices bursting at the seams.

She would get that job. She would wow them into giving her the job with her massive portfolio and beaming smile.

And she wouldn't take no for an answer.


	3. Celebrations

Chapter 3 – Celebrations

"I wonder how Emmy's getting on."

Antonio turned to his wife. "She's probably doing great. You know Emmy; she's the ever-optimistic type."

"But she looked pretty nervous going out the door." Carla looked worried. "Actually, come to think of it, Emmy's been pretty off form recently."

"Yeah, I noticed when she arrived yesterday," Antonio agreed. "She looked kind of upset and her bag was huge. Did something happen in London?"

"Uh... yeah... it's really complicated," Carla confessed. "You really don't want to know."

"Anyway, knowing Emmy, she'll probably recover her form before she goes in. If she thought there was no chance of her getting the job, she wouldn't bother going and wasting her time, would she?"

"I guess so," Carla said. She sighed worriedly.

"Well, here she is, so let's ask her," Antonio smiled as a knock sounded on the front door.

He went to get the door and when he opened it he saw a smiling Emmy, grinning from ear to ear, looking extremely pleased with herself.

"Well?" he smiled.

"They said that I was exactly what they were looking for and hired me!"

"That's great! Come in, Carla's dying to hear!" Antonio beckoned her inside and she hurried in.

Se entered the kitchen, and Carla grinned at her happy face. "Good news?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yep!" Emmy replied happily. "They said I was exactly what they were looking for. They said that they needed a happy-go-lucky type of person who would get along with the staff and a creative eye to spice things up a bit, and they said that I was perfect. They noticed that I was different to the other applicants."

"In what way?"

"Well, they all came in their best suits and I think they may have lacked enthusiasm. And I managed to appeal to the boss' friendlier side." Emmy grinned.

"Well, this calls for a celebration!" Antonio smiled. "We should go out for a few drinks and introduce Emmy to a few friends while we're there. What do you think Emz?"

"Okay. I don't start 'til Monday, so I can afford to get hammered tonight," she smiled.

"Cool. I'll call the guys."

* * *

So, that night, they all headed off to the local bar to celebrate. Emmy and Carla got dolled up in little black dresses and they all met up at the bar. Things were going very well. One of Antonio's friends was paying for all the drinks and Emmy got chatting to a school friend of Carla's.

"Hi," he said, in a smooth voice.

"Hi," Emmy smiled.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked, sitting on a stool beside Emmy at the bar.

"Only if you're paying," Emmy laughed.

"Alright," he mumbled, rooting through his pockets for change. A large pile of change spilled out of his pocket and onto the floor.

"Oops," Emmy smiled. "Butterfingers."

The man grinned and stumbled down on all fours, trying to grab the coins. Emmy bent down to help him. The man sat up again, all his coins back in his clenched fist. He watched as Emmy rooted around to see if there were any still on floor. He smiled as he was now staring at her backside.

Emmy sat up again and turned to him. "I think you got them all. Try to be more careful next time."

"Sure thing, lady," he chuckled, getting back up again, with much difficulty, and back on his seat. "So what can I getcha?"

"A white wine, please," she smiled.

The man raised his hand to the bar man, who hurried over to them. "I'll have a beer, and wine for the good lady here with the beautiful ass that helped me pick up my money."

Emmy gave him a funny look as the bar man turned to her. "Red or white wine, madam?"

"White," she replied. She turned to the man. "Have you been staring at my backside?"

"Maybe," he said slyly. "But I'll have to catch your name first."

"Emmy," she replied. "You?"

"I'm Vinnie," he replied. "Vincent James Baxter. After my old man."

"Er... that's nice," Emmy said, looking around. _"Where is Carla?"_ she wondered.

"Who you lookin' for?" he grumbled.

"Carla," Emmy replied, squinting through the crowd.

"Hey, she's a fine lookin' lady herself, y'know. She looks a lot like you."

"Yeah, we're cousins," Emmy replied.

"Oh yeah? On what side?"

"My mother's," Emmy replied.

"I'll bet your mommy was a pretty lady, if she's anything to go by your beautiful ass."

"What did you just say about my mother?" Emmy snapped.

"Wha? Oh, ignore me, I'm just an idiot." Vinnie's speech was getting more and more slurred with every sip of beer he took. "Look, this is just my beer brain talking. I really like you."

"Er... thanks..." Emmy trailed off. She spotted Carla in the distance and waved at her. Carla grinned and came over.

"You guys having a good time?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah. I like you, Amy, you're beautiful..."

"Emmy," Emmy corrected, giving Carla a funny look. "Who is this guy?" she whispered.

"He's not always like this, he's just drunk," Carla replied. She tapped Vinnie on the shoulder. "Why don't you go home? You look hammered."

"Hey, sure, why not? I'll take Amy with me," he smiled.

"Emmy," Emmy corrected again through gritted teeth. "And I think I'll stay at Carla's tonight."

"Sure thing, whatever you say, sweetie," he smiled, and slumped off his stool. "I'll see you guys later." He walked away in a drunken stupor.

Carla caught Emmy's eye and grinned. "So, what do you think of Vinnie?"

"He's an idiot," Emmy said shortly. "He kept looking at my ass."

"Well, that's what he does when he's drunk, but he's actually a pretty decent guy when he's sober," Carla replied, "which isn't a lot recently, because he just broke up with his girlfriend. Maybe if he thought he had a chance with you, he'd sober up and you'd see his true colours."

"Maybe," Emmy replied. "I don't know..."

"Hmm," Carla smiled. "We'll have to see. Watch this space, Emz, watch this space..."


	4. Date

Chapter 4 – Date

Emmy walked out of her work place with a spring in her step. It was her first day on the job, and it had been decided that, that afternoon, she would aid the leading photographer in a major pitch at the Superbowl World Series, photographing the teams, the players, the stadium and the fans. She would be able to use her artistic creativity whilst photographing the pitch, capturing different areas at different angles to make the pictures stand out in the paper. And she couldn't wait to get started.

She walked down the street, taking her early lunch break after her meeting with the photographer as she mentally prepared herself for the day ahead. She was excited to be able to demonstrate her ability to one of the best photographers in America, and was determined to do her best.

As she made her way towards the shop, she bumped into a familiar face from two nights ago – Vinnie. She smiled at him.

Hello, Vinnie. Remember me?"

"Yeah... uh... Amy?"

"Emmy," Emmy corrected.

"Ah, yeah. I kept getting that wrong. Sorry. And sorry for anything else I might have said. I can be a real jerk when I'm drunk."

"Yeah, we all can," Emmy smiled. "But I prefer you sober."

"Good," Vinnie smiled. "Uh... I wondered if you... uh... wanted to go for dinner tomorrow night? Get to know the real me?"

Emmy smiled. "That sounds lovely."

"I know where Carla's place is, so I'll pick you up tomorrow at six."

"Okay. See you!"

Vinnie grinned and hurried off. Emmy smiled to herself. _**"Hmm... maybe he's not so bad after all..."**_

* * *

"So he asked you out?" Carla asked over dinner.

"Yeah," Emmy replied.

"Ooh, and what did you say?" Xavier mocked. Aldaz nudged him in the ribs.

"I said yes," Emmy replied.

"Why? I think Vinnie's a jerk."

Carla smacked Xavier upside the head. "Don't be rude, Xavi."

"Well, I suppose I'll find out if he's a jerk when I go out with him tomorrow," Emmy replied, taking a bite of her lasagne.

"Well, I'm glad you've given him his confidence back. He was actually sober when I saw him this afternoon," Carla smiled. "And I think you'll be good for him. You might grow him up a bit."

"Well, we'll wee after tomorrow night, won't we?" Emmy asked.

"Yeah. I guess we will," Carla grinned.

"Aww..." Xavier mocked again. "Young love..."


	5. Dinner

Chapter 5 – Dinner

"No."

Emmy and Carla were in a clothes shop, trying to pick out the perfect dress for Emmy's date that night with Vinnie. But there was one problem.

The major clash in Carla and Emmy's taste in clothing.

"No. I am not wearing that dress. Just look at it!"

Carla scoffed. "Emz, you have a beautiful figure and it's about time you showed it off a little! C'mon, at least try it on. I think you'll look beautiful."

"No." Emmy folded her arms. She was not budging on this one.

"Don't make me fight you."

Emmy raised her eyebrows.

Carla raised hers.

Emmy sighed heavily. "Fine." She took the dress from Carla and sloped off into the changing room.

Carla grinned. "Works every time..."

* * *

Emmy stepped out of the changing room five minutes later, after trying to squeeze into the tight-fitting dress, with a big scowl on her face. "Carla, I can hardly breathe in this thing."

"Yeah, but you look amazing. Trust me, Emz."

"Can I get a looser one that fits better?"

"No. We're buying this one. Take it off and give it to me, Emmy."

"No!"

* * *

"_I hate you, Carla,"_ Emmy scowled, standing out in the porch in the evening air. The dress was too tight, it came up to the top of her thigh, and the heels were half a foot high. _"If I fall flat on my face, I know who to blame."_

A red pickup truck pulled up outside the house and, sighing, Emmy carefully approached it, trying not to fall over. The driver's window rolled down and Vinnie smiled at her.

"You look beautiful," he commented, getting out of the car and opening the passenger door for her. Emmy smiled, thanking him and getting into the car. Vinnie sat behind the wheel and set off.

"So, where are we going?" Emmy asked.

"I booked us a table at a restaurant," Vinnie replied. "It's a quiet enough place – I think you'll like it."

Emmy smiled.

"Here," Vinnie said, pulling up outside a small Italian restaurant. "It's usually dead in here, but the food and wine is pretty good."

They got out of the car and made for the door. Vinnie held out his arm, and Emmy took it. They entered the restaurant and, as Vinnie said, there were only two other customers in there. They sat at a table in the corner and waited for service.

Emmy glanced over at the other couple, and saw that they were holding hands. She looked back at Vinnie to see that he was staring at them to. _"Ah..."_ she thought anxiously._"I hope he doesn't want to start things off too quickly..."_

The waiter arrived with two menus. He handed one to each of them and tipped his little hat to them. "You like the wine list?" he asked in a strong Italian accent.

"Please," Emmy said.

The waiter scurried off and Vinnie smiled at Emmy. "You hungry?" he asked.

Emmy nodded. "Always," she smiled.

Vinnie laughed. "I can tell by looking at you that you're a fitness type of girl. Do you work out?"

"Yeah," Emmy replied.

"So you go to the gym?"

"Yep. Every morning."

"So what do you do, like, weight lifting?"

"No. I do gymnastics and martial arts."

"Really? Awesome! So you're like a Kung-Fu fighting machine?"

Emmy laughed. "No. I find that Ju-Jitsu is better for self-defence. I do a bit of Kung-Fu, just a few bits and pieces as a back-up, but I'd be more partial to boxing."

"Yeah. Just blow their brains out, like in comic books- POW!

They both laughed again.

"So, Emmy, why would a pretty girl like you want to learn self-defence? Wouldn't it be easier on you to just bag yourself a big tough boyfriend to take care of you?"

Emmy smiled. "If I had a boyfriend who was big and scary enough to beat other people up, then he'd definitely be big and scary enough to beat me up. And besides, you can't be too prepared for the worst."

"Yeah, especially in these parts," Vinnie agreed.

The waiter returned with a wine list. "Have you decided what you are ordering?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'll have the large Spaghetti Bolognese," Vinnie replied, handing back his menu.

"Yeah, I'll have the same," Emmy said, handing her menu back too.

"Splendid choice." He handed the wine list to Emmy and set off again.

Emmy peered at it, reading through the list of white wines. "Blimey, I can't even pronounce half of these."

Vinnie laughed. "Just get the cheapest one."

"Right you are," Emmy smiled.

The waiter returned with their food and Emmy pointed to the cheapest wine on the list. "We'll take that one," she said.

"Coming right up." He walked away.

Emmy smiled at Vinnie and tucked straight into her food. Vinnie began to eat as well, but kept missing his mouthful as he was too busy staring at Emmy. He watched as she wolfed her food down. _"What a woman..."_ he thought. He watched her intently. He liked the way that she didn't care about table manners or taking decent sized bites, and simply gorged it all down as fast as she could. He liked the way that she was simply being herself and wasn't really going all-out to impress him. He liked her.

Emmy wolfed down her food as fast as she could, avoiding looking at Vinnie. She didn't want to stare too much – after all, this was their first date and she didn't want things to be too awkward. She had felt a little awkward at the start; wobbling around in those heels didn't feel too safe; but now that they had talked a bit, she felt a little more comfortable in his company. And as for his good looks – well, yes she had noticed that, and had difficulty keeping her eyes off him. And he seemed a lot more polite now than he was Friday night when he got hammered. _"Perhaps he is the gentleman I've been looking for,"_ she thought. Vinnie seemed to like her. And she liked him. That was a match made in heaven.

But one thought lingered in the back of her mind – the true gentleman she used to know. The true gentleman she had fallen in love with. Professor Layton. She mentally shook her head.

"_You've already blown that,_ "she told herself."_A__fter what you've done, he'll never forgive you. And if he does, how can you ever face him? You need to forget him. Move on with your life and let him move on with his. And besides, Vinnie seems like a lovely bloke. Maybe you'll grow to love him as much as you loved the professor..."_

She certainly hoped so.

* * *

An hour later, Vinnie had dropped Emmy home. They sat together in the pick-up truck for a moment. Vinnie smiled at her.

"Uh... thanks. For coming out with me. I had a really good time." He beamed at her.

Emmy smiled back. "Yeah. Me too. We should definitely do this again sometime."

Vinnie smiled wider. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Emmy smiled.

Their eyes met. They gazed into each other's deep brown eyes. Vinnie saw his chance and took her hand.

Emmy felt his fingers curl around her hand, but didn't pull away. She noticed Vinnie getting closer to her, but didn't back off. She sat still, deciding. _"Should I, or shouldn't I..."_

But she didn't have to ponder too long before this question was answered for her. Vinnie had suddenly lunged forward, tilted her chin up and kissed her. She sat, shocked for a moment, but a little voice in her head told her;"G_o for it!"_ So she did. She kissed him back. She felt his arms slowly come around her as their embrace suddenly got more passionate. Their kisses, originally slow, suddenly got fiercer. Emmy decided to just go with what she felt – desire. She let her feisty side out and clambered over the handbrake and onto Vinnie's lap. They sat there for some time, kissing and holding one another, until they eventually broke apart. Emmy rested her head on Vinnie's chest and the sat there for a moment, each taking in what had just happened between them. After a while, Emmy lifted her head up and turned to Vinnie.

"I'd better go in. It's getting late," she said.

"Okay," he replied.

Emmy smiled and kissed him once more. She grabbed a pen from the dashboard, pushed up Vinnie's sleeve and wrote her mobile number on his arm. "Call me," she said. She gave him one last peck on the cheek and got out of the car.

Vinnie sat back, a big smile plastered on his face. _"Emmy Altava,"_ he thought dreamily. _"What a woman..."_


	6. Changes for the Worse

Chapter 6 – Changes for the Worse

After spending three months in California, Emmy really thought that she was finally at home. She had a great job, which she loved doing, a handsome boyfriend who was treating her right, and Carla was point-blank refusing to let her get a place of her own.

"I refuse to be the only girl in this house again!" she had protested when Emmy suggested the idea. "I'd kick Antonio out before I'd kick you out. But for God's sake, don't tell him."

Things were going so well at work. The lead photographer was very impressed with Emmy's unique style and her eye for an interesting photo, and was delighted with her work. The wage packet was very good, allowing Emmy to treat herself and her friends, and her boyfriend, something which she was never really able to do in London, what with high rent and having to buy all her own food. But here Carla was willing to share what she had, as Emmy chipped in paying her way in the rent. Financially, Emmy was in a good place.

And in the six or seven months after their first date, Emmy and Vinnie were getting closer. Their relationship had quickly turned intimate after their first date and they met up more frequently after that, with Emmy sometimes spending the night in Vinnie's flat.

Overall, things were very, very good.

Until one day, that is, when things took a nasty turn for the worse.

* * *

Carla sat at the table, biting her nails, wondering what to do about what she had seen that morning. She didn't want Emmy to get hurt. After everything that girl had been through, she didn't deserve this. After all, things had been going great for her here. And Vinnie was about to ruin all of that for her.

Antonio placed an arm around his wife's shoulders. "I think we'll have to tell her you know," he said quietly. Carla nodded.

Xavier, who was sat at the table, nodded in agreement. "I said it on day one; Vinnie is an asshole."

But Carla didn't even pause to slap him upside the head. Right now, she thought Vinnie deserved all harsh comments that Xavier was about to make.

"He's done it to plenty of other girls, hasn't he? Emmy was the best thing that ever happened to the guy, and he blew it with Stacey Monroe."

"What about Stacey Monroe?"

Xavier gulped as Carla and Antonio turned around to face the door. Emmy was standing there, looking confused and highly suspicious.

"Well, I was just saying... uh... that she was back in town."

"I know. She decided to grace me with her presence after work yesterday. And what was that you were saying about my boyfriend?"

Xavier gulped. "Well..."

"I saw him with Stacey. And they were... uh..."

Emmy sat at the table, listening. "Xavier, why don't you go upstairs and see what Aldaz is doing?" Emmy asked gently.

"Okay," he replied, getting up. He ran out the kitchen door as quickly as he could.

Emmy sat back in her chair. "Well?"

"I saw them kissing outside his apartment. And, by the looks of the smug grin on Stacey's face, I... I think they went further. I'm sorry, Emmy." And she looked it too.

Emmy sat silently, staring at her feet. Carla got up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Emmy?"

Emmy shook her head. "As much as I'd like to say that I'm surprised... I can't. She's such a stupid whore-bag." She was referring to Stacey.

Carla placed her arm around Emmy's shoulders, but she shrugged it off. She could feel tears starting in her eyes, but blinked them back.

"I mean, why would someone like me ever deserve to be happy?"

"Emz, don't say that—" Carla began, but Emmy stood up. "I'm sorry, Carla, but I just need to be alone." She left the room.

Carla sighed heavily.

"She'll be okay."

Carla looked at her husband. She smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. She's a tough girl, she'll be fine."

* * *

Emmy stood in the centre of the bridge, looking down at the cars which sped along underneath her. She wiped away her tears, and decided to think about something else. She had her camera in its pouch and took it out. She decided to take a picture of the cars below. It had a certain charm to it, the view from up high. And after all, photography was the only love she had left in her life that had never hurt her. She played with the buttons and dials, trying to get the perfect frame for her photo. She then snapped a shot.

"Wonderful view, isn't it?"

Emmy turned around to see a man standing behind her. The man wore a bowler hat and a light brown jacket, with the collar pulled up to cover his face. He wore sunglasses, so Emmy couldn't recognise him. But she recognised his voice. She thought she knew where, but decided not to make any premature judgements. His voice was heavily accented, in a heavy Czech accent, one which she had grown up with herself before moving to London and attending speech therapy.

The man moved closer to her. "Do you mind if I stand here with you?"

Emmy suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine. She definitely recognised the voice, and wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. She wondered if this man recognised her too. Emmy cleared her throat and tried to sound casual.

"I'm sorry... do I know you?"

The man smiled behind his jacket. "Of course you do." He flattened down his collar and took off his sunglasses. Emmy stared fearfully into his eyes, which were exactly like hers. The man placed an arm around her. She tried to shrug it off, but he tightened his grip.

"You know, I have been looking everywhere for you, my dear. Ever since you left me. But it's funny... I never expected to find you here."

"Let me go," Emmy said, trying to sound firm through her fear. She thought about her options; whether to punch him where it hurt most or just throw him off the bridge entirely. But a single thought lingered in her mind preventing her from doing this.

"_I can't do that... not to my own family..."_

The man kissed her hair. "I love you, baby girl," he whispered. He began to lead her away, towards a car parked at the end of the bridge. Emmy's eyes widened. She tried again to pull away, but he tightened his grip, digging his nails into her arm.

"Please," she whispered. "Please let me go."

"You are the only thing I have left in this world," the man snarled. "We are going home and thing will be the way they were before."

Emmy felt her heart racing. _"The way they were before? But... he..."_

The man pulled a cloth out of his pocket and held it close to Emmy's face. She began to feel sleepy.

"No..." she tried, "please..."

He stuffed it into her mouth and she felt hr eyelids' droop shut. She couldn't feel anything after that. All she could remember was the sight of the man's car ahead of her.

The man's car.

Her father's car.


	7. In the Basement

Chapter 7 – In the Basement

Emmy awoke groggily to the sound of someone shuffling abut in the corner. She slowly opened her eyes, trying her hardest to recall what had happened to her. She remembered hearing about Vinnie cheating on her, storming off, and meeting the man in the coat and hat with the creepily familiar voice, but that was it. She had no clue how she had entered the basement.

She groaned, a strange taste in her mouth suddenly making itself apparent while her head was swimming. Everything in sight was blurry and indistinct, and she couldn't make out who was prowling about in the room.

"H... hello?" she croaked. Only after speaking out did she realise how thirsty she really was. And how hungry. "... Where am I?"

"You're home now sweetheart," said the voice – the creepily familiar voice she had heard earlier. She suddenly remembered the man grabbing her arm and leading her to the car. She remembered the struggle she had put up. She remembered the cloth...

"_Chloroform..."_ she thought."_Great..."_

Her thoughts suddenly turned to the man. The familiar man. She remembered exactly where the voice had been familiar to her now. The cold, cruel voice of the man who had ruined her life. Her own father. The man she loved and trusted to look after her after the death of her mother, whose only interest was taking out all of his anger on her.

She watched the fuzzy outline of her father as he knelt before her, placing a hand on her forehead. She suddenly shuddered violently. She hated him touching her. She hated looking at him, even if it was only a blurry outline of him. She had grown up terrified of him, of this very situation occurring, but her uncle had gotten rid of all of her fears in the time that she had lived with him. She was no longer afraid of the man. The only feelings she felt towards him were ones of resentment.

"How are you feeling now?" Aleks asked his daughter.

"Oh, great," Emmy groaned. "Really spectacular."

Aleks frowned. "What did you just say?"

"I'm saying how great it feels to be chloroformed and then locked up by my own psychopath of a father."

Aleks glared at Emmy and raised his hand. He slapped her sharply across the face. A red mark appeared on Emmy's cheek. Emmy glared as Aleks sighed, removing his hand from on top of her forehead.

"That was your own fault," he hissed. "You were testing my patience. You know how thin my patience is – or, at least you should."

"So why don't you enlighten me?" Emmy sneered. She was ready for any beating he would dish out – she had taken it all before. And once her dizzy spells had worn off, she would find a way out.

Aleks shook his head. "No. I don't want things to be like they were. Things will be different. I swear."

"So why are you locking me up?"

"Because you'll leave me again. Just like you left me before. You left me all alone in that house, Emmeline, you left me and went off with that man, and you were never going to come back. Were you?"

"Why would I want to come back to a sick, abusive old man like you?"

Aleks sighed. His hand twitched, but he quickly stuffed it into his pocket. "You're deliberately trying to make me angry, aren't you? You're deliberately trying to break me, just like everyone else."

"You think that the whole world is out to get you, right? You think that the whole world revolves around you."

"You don't understand," he snarled. "The whole world _is_ out to get me. And you. Why do you think that none of your 'friends' are here to save you?"

"Because none of them know where I am," Emmy replied.

"And why is that? Would you not tell them where you are going? No. You went off in a strop because you little 'boyfriend' started cheating, right?"

Emmy glared.

"That's right. He doesn't care about you. That girl he cheated with doesn't care about you. None of them care about you, Emmeline. Only I do."

"So that's why you're locking me up, away from everyone else? Because you care about me?" Emmy scoffed. "None of them locked me up. Not Carla, or Antonio—"

"You think that they care? It seems to me that they were only squeezing you for rent money."

"Have you been stalking me?" Emmy demanded.

"I have every right to know what my daughter has been up to. And, by the looks of things, quite a lot. Photography, sex, drinking... that's the life, huh?"

Emmy scowled.

"You're a stupid little girl. You think you know what's best for you, when really, you don't."

Emmy raised an eyebrow. "Is that a fact?"

"I know what's best for you. What is best is that you stay with your family. Your real family. Me."

"Oh, yeah, because the mere fact that Uncle Leon found me half dead on the floor when you popped out for some more booze is a mere conjecture, is it?"

Aleks didn't even stop to think – he launched his fist into Emmy's face. Blood started to pour from her nose and a dark bruise appeared on her face. Emmy let out a sharp breath and touched the blood running down her face.

"And now you want me to stick around for round two. I don't think so." Emmy sat up properly and made to stand up, wobbling slightly, still dizzy from the punch and the chloroform.

"No. I won't lose you again, Emmeline, never, NEVER!"" he roared, grabbing the front of her yellow jacket and hauling her back to the ground. He punched her again and kneed her in the ribs. He felt her try to shove him off of her, so he began to hit harder. More and more blood spurted from her nose. More and more bruises appeared on her face.

Her beautiful face...

"T_his is the only way I'll get her back. If I keep her here..."_

Emmy was in agony at this point, having him punching her lights out, she tried to fight back, but he was too strong for her. Just like before...

* * *

"_N-No... p-please don't h-hurt me..." the little girl whimpered._

_She cowered in the corner as the man closed in on her. He had a furious expression on his face._

"_How fucking dare you..." he whispered._

"_Daddy..." she cried._

"_HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO HIM! HOW DARE YOU TELL HIM! YOU DON'T EVER TAKE SIDES AGAINST THE FAMILY! EVER!"_

_The little girl screamed as the man grabbed her and slapped her across the face._

"_I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he screamed, hitting her repeatedly._

"_DADDY NO!" the girl screamed, but the man didn't stop. Blood poured out of her nose and her face began to swell up, but the man still did not cease in hitting the girl._

"_DADDY!"_

* * *

Emmy felt herself blacking out as Aleks hit her repeatedly, her face, now swollen badly, in agony, the pain slowly numbing as she slipped out of consciousness. Only one thought plagued her mind at this point – that he Uncle Leon had been entirely wrong.

He promised her that she didn't have to be afraid of her father anymore and that he couldn't hurt her again. But he was wrong.

Emmy's father was as strong as he was before, and had as much of a hold over her as he ever did.

And Emmy was just as terrified of him, in that moment, than she ever was as a child.


	8. Where is she?

Chapter 8 – Where is she?

It had been eight months since Emmy found out about Vinnie cheating on her, and she hadn't been seen by anyone since. And Carla and Antonio were getting very worried.

"So, when did you last hear from her?" Antonio asked.

"She called the day after I last saw her, saying that she was in Ohio for work, that she got transferred and not to worry," Carla replied, "but something seemed... off about it."

"Like what?" Antonio asked.

"I don't know, but she seemed kind of... tense over the phone. Like she was trying to hide something."

Antonio frowned. "Did she call since?"

"No. That's what's worrying me."

"Did you call her?"

"I tried, but it just said that her number had expired."

Antonio raised his eyebrows. "Maybe she got a new number."

"But she would have called me. I know she would. She wouldn't just leave us with no contact for her, I know her. Something's wrong. I've felt it for the past eight months, and I need to do something." Carla picked up her phone and dialled 911.

"I'm calling the cops."


	9. Talk with the Cops

Chapter 9 – Talk with the Cops

"So, when did you last see Miss Bronev?"

"About eight months ago."

"And she hasn't called, or anything?"

"Well, she called the day after I last saw her, saying that she had been transferred to Ohio for work, but she sounded really off on the phone, so I'm not sure..."

The cop sighed. "Listen, ma'am, if you two have had some sort of argument—"

"No, not at all! Look, I didn't call you guys right away because I figured that Emmy would want some space after breaking up with Vinnie—"

"Who is Vinnie?"

"Her ex. He cheated on her."

"Well, that's probably why she transferred."

"But she left all her stuff here, and she didn't even see me in person! Emmy and I are really close, she wouldn't take off without seeing me first, and she hasn't called since, and I tried to call her,, but her number has expired, so—"

"Listen, lady, we can put up a few posters and ask around the area, but there really isn't any more we can do for you. We're sorry."

Carla scowled at her feet as Antonio led the two cops out of the living room. When he returned he placed an arm around Carla's shoulders.

"I agree with you, something is off here," he said. "I have a plan."

"Really?" Carla looked up.

"Yeah. Listen..."


	10. Search

Chapter 10 – Search

Antonio sighed heavily as he pulled into his hometown. All his efforts over the last two weeks had been largely fruitless.

After their chat with the cops, Antonio had decided to go to Ohio and look for Emmy. He had been there for the last two weeks, asking people if they had seen her, showing them her photo, asking police to keep an eye out. But still nothing. And it got stranger. Antonio had checked with every newspaper on sale in Ohio, and none of them had a photographer or reporter by the name of Emmy Bronev or Emmy Altava. So Antonio assumed that the whole story about her being transferred was a lie, and that she reason why she sounded strange to Carla on the phone was because maybe she was being forces to le about her whereabouts, help captive against her will and forced to say that to Carla to keep her quiet for a while.

And it worked too.

Antonio had decided that Emmy was nowhere to be found in Ohio. He had evidence of this, so he decided to go to the police with his information and start his search elsewhere. But there was one question; where would he look?

He pulled up outside his apartment and Carla hurried outside to greet him. "Anything in the last day?" she asked. He had called her last night and explained his findings to her.

"Nothing," he replied, getting out of the car. "I'm going to the police with my findings, and that might spur them on to look harder. Then I need to figure out where to go next to look for her."

Carla nodded glumly. "We still have no idea where she went, though."

Antonio placed an arm around his wife. "We'll find her, don't worry."


	11. Insanity

Chapter 11 – Insanity

With every day that had passed in the basement, and with every beating that her father lashed onto her for no apparent reason, Emmy felt that she had been slipping into a mindset that she had not been in since childhood – insanity. She felt that her ability to reason had been slipping away since she had been kidnapped. She began to wonder if anyone really cared about her. If they did, they would have found her by now. She was terrified of the pain of her next beating. She didn't know why any of it was happening anymore. She needed help.

She had stopped counting the days that had passed weeks ago, and now had no idea how long she had been there. Her old life, where she was happy and confident, free to do whatever she wanted, felt like it was the life of a completely different person. She could hardly even remember what it was like to be happy; it was that long since she had felt that feeling.

Through a flap in the bottom of the door, a bowl of rotten fruit and meat came in with a glass of stale milk. Emmy had given up trying to figure out why her father was so reluctant to give her proper food. She wolfed down the lot, including the black and mouldy parts of the fruit, and tore through the tough old meat. Her gums screamed out in protest as she ate – apparently she wasn't good enough to get a bowl of water and a toothbrush, let alone even a shower. She had to lay there, day in, day out, in her own filth. She didn't even care anymore.

She glanced over at her camera which, thankfully, hadn't been touched by Aleks, and picked it up. The last heirloom of her former life, with a few pictures still saved onto it. She switched it on and skimmed through them. Pictures of buildings and various folk that the San Francisco Daily had written stories about. Pictures of Carla, Antonio and the boys, grinning happily and posing for the camera. She missed them all terribly; the only people who could make her feel the slightest bit more cheerful after leaving London. The very last picture, one of herself, the professor and Luke, Emmy linking arms with the professor and her other hand on Luke's shoulder. The picture she had taken as a memento, so that she could never forget the people she had spent the last three years with. She would probably never see them again, only think of them through her remaining life of misery and pain down in her father's basement.

She lay down on the floor and cried bitterly.

"_I want to go home..."_


	12. Fruitless

Chapter 12 – Fruitless

When they had finally won the cops round and got the help they needed, Carla was certain that they would find Emmy soon. But she was wrong.

Despite everyone's efforts, the thousands of flyers put up all over America, the newspaper advertisements, and the news broadcast, no one had see hide or hair of Emmy Altava. In the weeks and months that followed Antonio's search in Ohio, he had been looking in many of the other states, each one leading to the same outcome – no one had seen the lady in yellow. Maine, Kentucky, North and South Dakota, Nevada, Nebraska, Texas – all searched, no Emmy. But Antonio refused to give up – his wife was unhappy, his cousin-in-law was still missing, and the efforts of the police were simply not enough to satisfy him.

He would search every part of the globe until he found Emmeline Altava, and nothing was going to stop him.

Nothing.


	13. Release

Chapter 13 – Release

It was hopeless. Emmy remained still on the floor, as it hurt her to much to move. The extent and regularity of her beatings meant that she was in pain all the time now. Not that it bothered her. She was too used to it at this stage.

She had been locked up for eighteen months now, and still no one had let her out. No one knew that it was her deranged father who had imprisoned her and beat her up daily to prevent her from escaping. Emmy had come to accept her fate. She would be stuck down in that basement for the rest of her life.

Well, that's what she thought.

* * *

Antonio arrived at the house his contact had pointed him to. The man at the petrol station had said that his neighbour had been acting very oddly of late. He would hear crashing and banging, like someone moving around furniture, at three in the morning most mornings, and that the first time he had ever set eyes on the man, he had seen a young lady matching Emmy's description slumped in what appeared to him to be a drug-induced sleep. As well as that, the man had kindly showed Antonio security footage of this incident. Now all Antonio needed was a way in.

He had taken up a part time job in the area as a postman, to pay for food, his hotel room and everything else, but as well as that, it aided him in getting to know the area. He had looked through the post and had offered to take the route that led past one Aleksander Chovanek's house, and headed off without delay. And right now, he was outside said man's house, listening out for any hint of a disturbance.

Antonio stopped in his tracks. He could have sworn that he had just heard a groan come from somewhere close by. He looked around and saw a small window which looked in to the basement. He peeked in and saw what he was after.

A thin woman in a yellow jacket. Bingo.

He saw how thin she was, far thinner than she was whilst living with him and Carla, and he also noticed that her yellow jacked was caked in filth, blood and what looked like her own excrement. He could smell it too. Wrinkling his nose, he grabbed a nearby rock and proceeded to smash the window. The smell was even stronger now, but what worried Antonio the most was that Emmy didn't even stir. _"Oh God..."_

Antonio climbed in carefully, trying to avoid contact with the glass, and crouched beside Emmy. She groaned again. _"She's alive..."_ he thought. He turned her over and looked at her face, swollen, bloody and covered in bruises. Her arms were sliced up, torn through the jacket, and her breathing was terribly unsteady. She was covered in blood and filth and looked into his eyes pleadingly. "Uhh..."

"Shh," he said gently. "Don't try and speak. Save your energy. I'll get you out, don't worry..."

He looked up. He could hear footsteps approaching from upstairs. "Shit..."

He turned back to Emmy. "I'll come back for you," he promised and scrambled out the window again.

The door opened and Aleks entered. He spotted the broken and swore under his breath. "We're not safe here," he whispered. He turned to Emmy. "Get up."

Emmy tried to sit up, but cried out in pain and fell back down again. Aleks snarled and dragged her to her feet. Emmy began to cry as he dragged her towards the door. He phone beeped and he checked it. His eyes widened.

"Stay here." He dropped Emmy onto the floor again and ran off. Antonio waited a few minutes before re-entering the basement. He tried the door and, to his relief, it was unlocked. He opened it and went back to Emmy, picking her up gently and carrying her over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Emz. I'll get you home. Don't worry."


	14. Breakup

Chapter 14 – Breakup

Emmy awoke with a start. She looked around for a moment or two, and then let out a sigh of relief. She was in the spare room in Carla and Antonio's place. Aleks hadn't smuggled her out in the night. She was still safe.

She tried to sit up, but her ribs ached, so she lay back down again. She closed her eyes tightly. She just wanted the pain to go away.

She heard a knock on the door and in opened. She heard Carla's voice speaking out to her.

"Emz?"

Emmy nodded slowly, her eyes still shut tight.

"You've got a visitor." Carla sounded uncharacteristically stern as she let the visitor in.

Vinnie sat down on the edge of Emmy's bed. He cleared his throat.

"Uh... hi, Emmy."

Emmy said nothing. What with everything that was happening at the moment, she really didn't care about anything Vinnie had to say. She had already ha to think about what he had done behind her back over the last eighteen months, and she didn't even open her eyes when he began to speak.

"I'm sorry. Really. I never meant to hurt you. I just... I got drunk, and she tricked me into it, you know how Stacey is."

Emmy remained silent.

"I just... I suppose Carla and Antonio told you that we were seeing each other while you were... away."

Emmy nodded silently.

"Well... I just want to be clear here. That meant nothing to me. Stacey means nothing to me. But you do. I care about you, and I want to take care of you while you're going through this hard time."

Emmy nodded again. "I understand."

Vinnie smiled. "So... we're good? We're still together?"

"No."

Vinnie's face fell. "Oh. Uh..."

"Just get out, Vinnie." Emmy turned away from him and faced the wall.

"But... Emmy... I—"

"Please, Vinnie. I can't handle this. Just leave."

Vinnie stood up. "fine." He sounded cold as he left the room.

Carla returned as soon as Vinnie left and sat on the end of Emmy's bed. She took her hand in hers. "I don't blame you for not wanting him back. What he did was stupid."

"Mmm."

Carla looked at her piteously. "Uh... Emmy? Is there anything I can do? To help you?"

Emmy thought. There was only ever one person who was able to help her when she was in this state. And that was where she needed to be.

"Get me a flight to London. As soon as possible."


	15. Departure

Chapter 15 – Departure

"Please call us, as soon as you get there," Carla sniffed, hugging Emmy as tightly as she could without hurting her broken ribs.

"I will," Emmy promised. She was relieved that Carla had finally come round to the idea of her travelling again. She had insisted that Emmy stay with her until her injuries healed up and frankly, Emmy hated the idea of being around the local people who kept gossiping about her kidnapping, let alone Vinnie and Stacey. Emmy needed to get out of America and see her uncle, and finally be able to talk about what she was going through to someone who really understood her.

Carla smiled and let go of her. "Antonio and I have decided – we're gonna come and visit you in London next year. So take care of yourself. Alright?"

"I will," Emmy promised.

"_Can all passengers taking flight 126 to London please make their way to reception, take-off is in fifteen minutes,"_ called the intercom.

"That's me," Emmy smiled, picking up her trunk. "I'll see you later."

As Emmy walked away, Carla stared after her, concerned. "She's very unwell. She shouldn't be flying so soon after coming out of that basement."

Antonio placed his arms around his wife's shoulders and sighed. "You know Emmy; when she wants something, nothing can stop her, not even physical injuries as serious as the ones she has."

* * *

Emmy closed her eyes. She was exhausted, but she couldn't stop now. She had to see her uncle. She needed to see him.

She had to get out of America. She was sick of the feeling she got in that place, ever since she had been locked up. Tears started in her eyes. She didn't want to think about the things her father did to her, and yet, every time she closed her eyes, she could see his angry, horrifying face fixed in her mind. She began to cry.

She wanted her Uncle Leon, and nothing was going to stop her.

She hadn't felt that kind of pain since she was a little girl, having just lost her mother and little brother in the fire that destroyed her life. She remembered the times when her father would beat her senseless every night in a drunken rage, and when she would come round, she would see him lying next to her, crying his eyes out and saying that he was sorry. She knew that her father had deep psychological problems, as did she. But this didn't quench the anger and resentment that she felt inside. It only stirred on the fear she felt towards him. She was terrified of her own father.

"_I'm weak,"_ she thought miserably. _"I couldn't even defend myself... I spent years learning how and I couldn't even do it..."_ Tears poured down her face as she recalled the failure her life had become. _"I'm useless..."_

She had gone to America to find a new life which she would be able to flourish in, but all she had found in the end was even more anxiety and grief. She was ill – again – and now had yet more bad memories to repress. Emmy gulped and wiped away her tears.

It was going to be a long journey ahead.


	16. Visiting Order

Chapter 16 – Visiting Order

Bronev sat at the table, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his visitor. She had sounded so tense on the phone, and she had mentioned that something had happened in America. He gripped his hands tightly together as he watched the other visitors enter the room and sit across from their family or friends.

Moments later she arrived – it would have been difficult for Bronev not to spot her in that bright lemon yellow trench coat of hers. He tried to smile as she approached, but the sight of her red eyes and tears-stained cheeks banished that thought from his mind.

"Emmeline!" he exclaimed, gesturing to the seat before him. She sat down in front of him and stared at her feet. Bronev could tell just by looking at her that she was fighting tears.

Bronev leaned over the table and held out his hand. She looked at it and said nothing.

"Please, Emmeline," Bronev said softly. "I'm sure you didn't come to see me in this awful place for no reason. Talk to me. You said something happened in America – what happened?"

Emmy gulped. She tried to blink back tears as she tried to speak. "Dad... he..."

"Did he find you?" Bronev whispered.

Emmy nodded. "He... he took me away and he locked me up..."

"Oh God..." Bronev looked into her eyes, which were now brimming with tears. "Sweetheart... sweetheart, what did he do to you?"

Emmy started shaking. "H-he... h-he... he h-hit me... a-and..." Emmy started to cry.

Bronev stood up and made to go towards her when two guard rushed over and held him back. "Please," he said. "My... my daughter here, she is upset... I want to comfort her. Please."

The two guards looked at one another and nodded, letting go of Bronev.

"Thank you," Bronev smiled at them. Emmy stood up to and threw her arms around him. She began to sob into his shoulder. Bronev held her tightly and murmured words of comfort into her ear.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he said softly. "Everything will be okay... I know... I know it hurts, but I'll find help for you until I can get out of this place..."

"B-But... you've got a life sentence... eighteen years..." Emmy sobbed.

"I'll find a way out," Bronev said firmly, kissing her hairline. "Nothing could keep you away from me." Bronev glared into the distance.

"Nothing."


	17. Help

Chapter 17 – Help

"It is a very good thing that you contacted our agency, Mr. Bronev. We could really do with the help of a person like you."

"So, what do you need from me, Bloom?" Bronev asked coldly.

"And what do you need from me?" Bloom retorted.

Bronev sighed. "I am needed by a relative outside this prison. I need to get out and help her. She is in a very bad way. I thought we might be able to strike up a deal."

Bloom nodded. "There is someone who is threatening Great Britain's national security. They have information, secret information that no one else is allowed to have. Not even someone as high-ranking as me. But they have it. They've been blackmailing certain members of our agency into giving away classified security information about certain... individuals, along with access to bank records, people's credit card details. He had been robbing people blind, and we have had to force the banks to replace the money themselves in order to keep this whole fiasco quiet until it's all blown over."

"And you need me to find him?" Bronev asked.

"Precisely."

Bronev nodded. "On the condition that you get me out of here as soon as possible."

"Right you are. I'll be in touch." Bloom got up and made or the door.

"Bloom?"

Bloom looked back to Bronev. Bronev grinned at him.

"Keep up the bad work."

Bloom glared at him and left. The prison guard entered from his post outside the door and proceeded to escort Bronev back to his cell.

"Wait," he said, "I need to make a quick phone call first. It's urgent."

The guard sighed and removed Bronev's handcuffs.

"Be quick."

* * *

Emmy groaned; her face buried into her pillow. She was miserable and tired, but kept waking up from nightmares about her ordeal. All she could see was her father's face, twisted with anger and screaming at her, whacking her across the face, drawing a knife across her arms –

There was a knock on the front door. Emmy got up and sloped off to answer it. She opened the door to find a surprise. Someone she hadn't seen for years.

"Hello, Emmeline," she smiled. "How wonderful to see you again."

"... Doctor?" Emmy asked.

Celeste smiled. "Your uncle phoned and told me that you needed my help again. Is that right?" Celeste placed a hand on Emmy's shoulder. "Why don't I come inside and put the kettle on? You look terrible." Celeste placed her arm around Emmy's shoulders and led her to the kitchen. Celeste put the kettle on and sat beside Emmy. "Have you eaten anything? You look terribly pale. And your face is still a bit swollen, and no doubt that you have other injuries besides. Your uncle touched on what happened in America."

Emmy nodded. Celeste opened the fridge and tutted. "Empty. Now Emmeline, how do you expect to survive with an empty fridge? You can't live on air alone, you know. And this flat is a tip. What have you been doing in here?"

Emmy sighed heavily. Celeste sighed too.

"Have you unpacked your bags yet?"

Emmy shook her head.

"Good. Because I want you to come and stay with me. After our tea, I'll drop us both back, and you can tell me everything that happened and the kind of pain you're in."

Emmy's eyes began to fill up with tears, but nonetheless, she gave Celeste a smile. "Thank you for coming to help me..." she began, sounding choked.

Celeste wrapped her arms around Emmy and kissed her forehead. "We'll get you through this again. Don't worry, sweetheart. Everything will be okay."


	18. Freedom

Chapter 18 – Freedom

Bronev sighed, looking out the window at the busy streets of London, wondering what he was going to do. He got out of prison on a whim; he only had a mild suspicion of who was behind the security scare. Aleksander may be going after his daughter after her unplanned escape from his basement. Which wasn't good. As far as Bronev could tell during her last visit, Emmy was traumatised, and he suspected that it was probably a lot more than just that. He remembered the way she was when he first met her; distraught, crying, shaking, not to mention the constant night terrors... and Emmy would probably have to endure all that again. All that, and he had to somehow track down the security thief in order to hold up his end of the bargain with Bloom... there was only one solution.

And Bronev couldn't say that he liked it very much.

* * *

"_N-No... p-please don't h-hurt me..." the little girl whimpered._

_She cowered in the corner as the man closed in on her. He had a furious expression on his face._

"_How fucking dare you..." he whispered._

"_Daddy..." she cried._

"_HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO HIM! HOW DARE YOU TELL HIM! YOU DON'T EVER TAKE SIDES AGAINST THE FAMILY! EVER!"_

_The little girl screamed as the man grabbed her and slapped her across the face._

"_I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he screamed, hitting her repeatedly._

"_DADDY NO!" the girl screamed, but the man didn't stop. Blood poured out of her nose and her face began to swell up, but the man still did not cease in hitting the girl._

"_DADDY!"_

Emmy screamed out and sat up. Celeste rushed in and squatted down on the bed beside her. Emmy was panting with a look of pure terror etched on her face. Celeste took her hand.

"Are you alright, my dear? What happened? Did you have another nightmare?"

"Y-Yeah..." Emmy's eyes were welling up once more. She started shaking.

Celeste wrapped her arms around Emmy once more. "I've sorted your medication, so you can start on that today. And your uncle is probably on his way out of prison as we speak."

"Okay," Emmy mumbled, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

Celeste let go of her and stood up. "Why don't you get dressed? Breakfast is ready in ten minutes." She left.

Emmy sighed and slumped back down onto her pillow again. She hated the idea of her uncle seeing her like this. She knew that he would think that she was weak, and that he would be right in that instance. _"After all the years he spent teaching me how to face my fears... and I'm still a wuss..."_ she buried her face into her pillow and began to cry."_I hate my life... I hate myself... why do I have to be this way?"_

* * *

Bronev stood up straighter at the doorstep of Celeste's house and knocked on the door. The door opened to Celeste, who was looking very stressed. She smiled when she saw Bronev.

"Thank goodness you're here," she sighed. "She's been very stressed in the last few days, crying and having nightmares and all the rest of it... come in." She stepped aside and let him in.

They fell silent as they listened to Emmy, crying her heart out a few doors down the hall. Celeste sighed again. Bronev tuned to her.

"Why don't you make us all some breakfast while I calm her down and try to coax her out of that room?"

Celeste nodded and watched as Bronev made for Emmy's door. _"What am I going to do with those two..."_

* * *

Bronev poked his head around the door to find Emmy crying, her face still buried into the pillow. He slipped into the door and laid down beside her, hugging her tightly. She lifted up her head and looked into his eyes.

"I... I'm so s-sorry, U-Uncle Leon..." she choked.

Bronev stroked her hair gently and kissed her on the cheek.

"It's okay," he whispered. "It's not your fault; I know it's not your fault..."

"I-It is..." Emmy choked out. "I-I'm s-so w-weak..."

"No you're not," Bronev told her firmly, holding her tighter. "You're not weak, you're just fragile, and there's nothing weak about that. You'll be fine, you'll get through this; I know you will. Just like last time."

"Dad's never going to stop hurting me," she whimpered. "I'll never get better... never..."

"Of course you will," Bronev said softly, kissing her again. "Because I'm here, and Doctor Folley is here, and if there's anything you need, ever, then we're here to get it for you. We're here to look after you until you pull through this, which you will. I know you will. I know you, Emmeline."

"B-But... d-dad..." she choked.

"I'll take care of him," Bronev said sternly. "I think he's been up to something bad, and the government is after him, and when we catch him, he'll be put in prison and he'll never hurt you again, I promise you. I promise..." Bronev held her tighter and rested his head n hers. "Everything will be fine. I swear to you, Emmeline. Have I ever broken a promise to you?"

Emmy shook her head. Bronev smiled at her, kissing her on the cheek. Emmy smiled back, trying to wipe away her tears.

"Come dear; let's get some breakfast. You're a lot thinner than you used to be, you know." He got up and grabbed Emmy's hand, pulling her up too. He wrapped his arms tightly around her again and led her out into the kitchen.

* * *

Celeste was sat at the table and pointed to two huge fry-ups on the table. "Eat, both of you, and I will not let you out until every last scrap is eaten."

Bronev caught Emmy's eye and grinned. "Well, you heard her, Emmeline." They both sat down and began to eat.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Celeste asked.

"I have my assignment to do, I have to hold up my end of the bargain," Bronev replied. "They haven't issued me with any evidence as of yet though, so I have no idea where to start."

"You said that... dad..." Emmy trailed off.

"Yes, I have a suspicion that it is him. Once I have a look at his trail of crime, I'll have a better idea of that, though," Bronev replied.

"Well, until then, you an Emmeline can spend a bit more time together. Cheer you both up," Celeste suggested.

"We'll be spending a lot more time together. She's coming home this evening," Bronev said.

"What?" Celeste exclaimed, surprised. "But..."

"You have a diagnosis, do you not? I can handle her meds and make sure that she takes it easy for a while," Bronev insisted.

"Yes, but I would advise that you send her for a course of counselling—"

"She'll be fine," Bronev insisted. "Trust me. She's a little disorientated, but the medication will soon sort that out. When is she due to start her dose?"

"Er... whenever she's ready, I suppose. The sooner the better," Celeste replied.

"Then now."

Celeste took out a box of pills from the drawer and handed Emmy a glass of water. Emmy popped the pill into her mouth and gulped down some water. She swallowed.

"Take one morning and evening and I'll start to put you up again in two weeks."

"Perfect," Bronev smiled, taking Emmy's hand. Emmy smiled back.

"You'll feel better soon, my dear. I promise."


	19. In Need of Assistance

Chapter 19 – In Need of Assistance

After a week at home with Bronev, Emmy was beginning to show the slightest of signs of improvement. She still had nightmares and felt very vulnerable, but she felt a lot safer with her uncle. Bronev would sit with her at night and comfort her when she got upset. Just like he did when they first met.

Bronev sighed heavily. He was in Emmy's room, sitting up beside her in the bed with her laptop on his lap. He skimmed through the evidence that D.I. Bloom had sent to him. He looked at the photographic evidence. In every photograph, he wore the same V for Vendetta mask. All of his personal data had been erased and the man had given his name as Jonathon Vaughan. Bronev was sure that this was Chovanek searching through government files to track down Emmy and those close to her, but he had no evidence to back this up. He sighed again and looked over at Emmy.

She was fast asleep, curled up in a ball under the sheets. She looked so peaceful, and this made Bronev smile. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She stirred and her eyes began to flutter open. He stroked her cheek gently. He wrapped his arms gently around her and stroked her hair. Emmy smiled and snuggled into his arms. She went back to sleep.

Bronev looked back to the computer. He needed some hard core evidence to back up his theory. He knew that Chovanek would look for people close to Emmy to get to her though, and he knew the first people who would be targeted; Professor Layton and Luke. Bronev needed to know if they had been contacted in any way, shape or form. It was decided.

"Uncle Leon?"

Bronev looked down at his niece, who was now wide awake. He smiled.

"Good morning, my dear. How are you feeling this morning?"

"Much better, thank you," she smiled. She looked at the computer screen. "Is that him?"

"Yes, dear. I think that's your father. But I need hard core evidence to prove this, and I think I know how to get it."

"Oh really? How?" she asked, sitting up.

"We need to talk to a friend of yours."

"What friend?" Emmy asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Hershel Layton."


End file.
